Trap for catching rats, &amp; c.



Patented Dec. I2, |899. H. BENSELEB.

TRAP FOR CATCHING RATS. GLC.

(Application filed May 10, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model() ma Nonnvs paens co. Puma-umn., wAsmNmoN, n. c.

No. 639,135. Patented Dec. I2, |899. H'. BENSELER.

TRAP FUR CTCHING RATS, &c.

(Application led May 10, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. I2, |899`.

H. BENSELER.

TRAP FOR CATCHING'RATS1 &c.

(Application filed May 10, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 No Model.)

THE News PETERS co, PHOTO-umm wAsmNoroN. D. c. K

KRD STATES PATENT OFFICE@ HEINRICH BENSELER, OF BEIENRODE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GOTTLIEB KAI-ILE, OF RITTMARSHAUSEN, AND THEODORIIENJES AND LUDWIG BEISSNER, OF GTTINGEN, GERMANY.

TRAP FOR CATCHING RATS, sbo.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,135, dated December 12, 1899. Application led May 10,1899. Serial No. 716,298. (No model.)

T a/ZZ whom it nfl/ty concern: gitudinal section a modied construction of 5o Beit known that I, HEINRICH BENSELER, a the trap. Fig. 11 shows in longitudinal secsubject of the King of Prussia, Emperor of tion a second modification of the trap.

Germany, residing at Beienrode, near Gt- Referring to the drawings, the trap contingen, in the Kingdom of Prussia, Germany, sists, essentially, of a tubular passage-way m,

have invented certain new and useful Im- Fig. 1, or 'm2, Fig. 10, or m3, Fig. 11, which 55 provements in Traps for Catching Rats, Mice, is so arranged within the bottle-shaped body and other Like Vermin, (for which I have ap of the trap that when in the normal position plied for patents in England, dated April 7, it is closed at the inner end by means of a 1o 1899, No. 7,314; in Germany, dated March 80, transparent partition. Vhen the animal 1899; in Switzerland, dated April 1, 1899, No. enters the passage-way, (see Fig.` 1,) its 6o 20,819, in Sweden, dated April 6, 1899, No. weight causes theinnerend to bend down be- 597 5 in Denmark, dated April 4, 1899, No. 361; low the transparent partition, (see dotted in Austria, dated April 1, 1899; in Hungary, lines, Fig. 1,) with the result that the animal datedApril1,1899,No. 4,894;inFrance,dated can enter freely into the body ot' the trap.

April 11, 1899, No. 275,654; in Belgium, dated Immediately the animal quits the inner end V April 11, 1899, No. 111,439; in Spain, dated of the passage-Way the latter springs back April 6, 1899, and in Portugal, dated April 8, into its normal position, as indicated in full 1899,) of which the followingisaspecication. lines, Fig. 1, in front of the transparent parzo This invention relates to traps for catching tition, with the result that the animal is prerats, mice, and such like vermin; and it has Vented from returning again through the pas- 7o for its object to so construct such traps that sage-way, which latter is now in position for they can readily be used without bait when trapping another animal.- catching, say, field-mice, and which are capa- The construction of the trap shown in Figs.

z 5 ble when once the animal enters the trap of 1 to 10 consists of a bottle-shaped body d, in

automatically locking it therein by an autowhich a spring spiral wire passage-way fm, is matic return movement of the entering pasiitted. The front end of the passage-way is sage-way. When the trap is used for catchsecured in the mouth g of the trap, while its y ing house rats or mice, bait is used, but does back end m is left free. The passage-way 3o not require to be frequently renewed, as the at a point of about two-thirds of its length is animal cannot take it away. held by means of a catch fn. A transparent 8o In order that my said invention may be partition o is arranged immediately at the properly understood, I have hereunto aprear of the back end of the passage-way in pended three explanatory sheets of drawings, such a manner, as shown, as to prevent the 3 5 whereonanimal when trapped from reenterin g the pas- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the sage-way and making its escape. This par- 85 trap as used for catching field-mice. Fig. 2 tition o allows light, which can enter through shows in partsection the trap as adapted the perforations b o' the sliding door@ at the for catching house mice, rats, dto. Fig. 3 is back of the trap, to shine into the passage- 4o an end view of the trap, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a way. The door is fitted in a slit c cut at the cross-section on the line o o, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is upper part of the body d. i 9o a cross-section on the line a: 0c, Fig. 1, and lVhen the trap is used for catching fieldshowing the door a. Fig. Gis a cross-section mice, its open end g is introduced into the on the line x x, Fig. 1, with the door removed. mouse-hole, with the result that when the 45 Fig. 7 is a cross-section on the line y y, Fig. mouse makes its exit froml the hole it enters 1. Fig. 8 is a cross-section, to a reduced the spiral passage-way m, and seeing the 95 scale, taken on the line z a, Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is light through the transparent partition o it a part elevation of the back of the trap and4 advances toward the apparent exit. Immeshowing the support p. Fig. 10 shows in londiately the mouse passes the point n its weight causes the part m of the passageway to assme theV inclined position shown in dotted lines at Fig. l. The mouse advances until it reaches the wide space at the rear end of the trap and immediately it leaves the part m of the passage-way the latter sp1-in gs back again into position, as aforedescribed, with the result that the transparent partition 0 cuts off the retreat of the mouse. As the passageway is now again in normal position, more mice can be caught without requiring to interfere with the trap in any way or to put bait therein.

In order to hold the trap in position when its front end is pushed into the mouse-hole, it is provided with a wire-support 2), which serves as a rest and which when the trap is not in use also serves as a carrying-handle.

When the trap is used for catching house mice, rats, the., its mouth cannot be conveniently inserted into the hole, and instead the month end is provided with a block c, which has in it at the sides of the entrance g recesses t' t" for bait 71;. The recesses are closed by small bars or nails Z, which prevent the animals taking out the bait. The mouse or rat tempted by the bait endeavors to remove it from the space z' or t", and not succeeding in this on account of the bars Z the animal endeavors to reach the bait by en tering the opening g. When it has once entered this opening, it cannot turn back, but is forced to advance along the spiral passage-Way, with the result that it is finally caught in the trap in the manner already described.

In the arrangementshown in FiglO, a flexible tube m2 takes the place of the spiral passage-way in of Fig. l. movement of this pipe is effected by means of the spiral spring q, which is capable of drawing up the end m of the tube after it has been depressed by the mouse. This spring can be arranged at the under side of thetube instead of at the upper side, if so desired.

In Fig. 1l a flexible tube m3 is used, which possesses in itself sufficient elasticity to give the return movement Without the aid of a spring, such as q, Fig. l0.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. A vermin-trap, consisting of a hollow body having an entrance, a transparent partition, a spring-raised, tubular passage hav ing one end portion secured in the entrance of the body and its other end portion normally obstructed by the partition and depressed below the same by the Weight of the vermin, the depressed end portion of the tubular passage automatically springing up in front of the partition when the animal passes from said passage into the body, substantially as described.

The spring -return 2. A vermin-trap which is of bottle shape and has as its outer end a sliding door aprovided with holes, at its interior a spiral spring passage-way m m and at the back of the passage Way a'transparent partition o the parts being so arranged that when the animal has advanced a certain distance along the spiral passage-way the latter bends down in front of the transparent partition so as to direct the animal into the body of the trap and thereafter springs back into its former position, substantially as described.

3. A vermin-trap, consisting of a hollow body, having an entrance, a transparent partition in said body, a spring-raised, tubular passage having one end portion secured at said entrance and the otherend portion depressed below t-he partition by the Weight of the vermin and automatically raised in front of the partition when the vermin passes from the passage into the body, and a movable device for opening and closing the end portion of said body which is opposite the entrance, substantially as described.

4. A vermin-trap, consisting of a hollow body, having an entrance at one end portion, a movable door arranged in the opposite end portion and constructed for the entrance of light, a partition in the body between said door and said entrance, and a tubular passage having one end portion secured in said entrance and its other end portion depressed below the partition by min and automatically sprung upward in frontof said partition when the vermin passes from the passage into the body, substantially as described.

5. A vermin-trap, consisting of a hollow body having a contracted entrance, a block mounted on the exterior of the entranceand containing a bait-holding recess, an interior partition, and a spring-raised tubular passage having one end secured in said entrance and its other end normally obstructed by the partition and depressed below the same by the weight of the vermin, substantially as described.

6. A vermin-trap, consisting of a hollow body having an entrance, an exterior support serving as a handle to hold the body inclined, aninternal partition, a door at the end opposite the entrance, and a spring-raised, tubular passage secured at one end in said entrance and its other end depressible below the partition by the weight of the vermin, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two Witnesses.

HEINRICH BEN SELER.

Witnesses:

WALDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HAsPER.

the weight of the ver- IOO IIO 

